All the Songs Make Sense
by Wingsss
Summary: A collection of little moments that lead up to something more. The song is "Give In To Me" by Faith Hill. Caskett, written post 3x13 "Knockdown." One-shot, complete.


All the Songs Make Sense  
>Author: Wingsss<br>Rating: R (sexual content, language)  
>Warnings: Sexual content, spoilers through 3x13, "Knockdown."<br>Disclaimer: Castle and its characters do not belong to me.

_I'm gonna wear you down  
><em>_I'm gonna make you see  
><em>_I'm gonna get to you  
><em>_You're gonna  
><em>_Give in to me._

They'd be lying if they said it was love at first sight. They'd be lying if they said the road here had been smooth. It was littered with potholes, bumps in the road. At times, it had seemed impassable.

It wasn't one instant when Rick felt his heart flutter when he saw her. It was a collection of little moments—her at his book parties in a stunning dress; standing at his door way past dark. Handing him the bouquet of flowers she had hidden up her sleeve.

Maybe that was what he liked the most about her. She always had something hidden up her sleeve, even the first moment they met.

* * *

><p>Kate was acutely aware that her affair with this man started way before she walked into his book party to ask him about a murder. She was sure he knew from the moment she let on that she read his novels—but for that her poker face was exceptional, cultivated over a decade of practice—but through all that, there were always moments she could feel it fall and shatter to the floor.<p>

_"You'll never get rid of me. I love you."_ When he said things like that (context be damned) she never failed to feel like her heart was falling right out of her chest.

* * *

><p>So this was a long time coming, she thinks. And she can't make herself regret the roundabout way they've found their way to each other. Well, if she's honest she's still <em>finding<em>, and she's pretty sure they always will be but that's just _them.  
><em>

* * *

><p>His safe word is <em>apples,<em> but he's never actually used it before her. She's had him by the ear since the day they met.

* * *

><p>When he holds Ryan's ring out to her-<br>_"Will you marry me?"  
><em>She smiles his favorite indulgent smile, and she realizes its not the first time he's handed her a ring.  
>She also realizes she kind of hopes one day it will be for real.<p>

* * *

><p><em>"I'm open to dumb ideas here."<br>__"Good. Cause I got one."_

He smiles and she can already tell she is so not going to go for this. But it's Ryan and Esposito in there and she's pretty sure they'd do whatever it takes to get her out, too.

When Castle has her by the mouth, she smiles against his lips. Partly because it's everything she imagined it would be and nothing like she expected. And partly because for a brief moment, she imagines it's her inside and Ryan and Esposito are doing the same thing to get her out.

* * *

><p>That night, she doesn't go home. She tries to, but she knows her apartment is empty and even though it's across town from her old one and she has new furniture and new clothes, on nights like this she can smell the fire and the smoke.<p>

She's thinking about the morning, and what she's going to say to that bastard that had a hand in killing her mother, and tried to kill her too.

So she's at Castle's door; before she knows what's happening there's a bandaged hand on her hips and her eyes are welling up with tears she's not going to let out.

He saved her today, and too many other days to count. She's still with Josh and he might be rebounding because of Gina but that doesn't seem to matter when his lips are on hers again.

This time, it's harder to play pretend but somehow they still manage.

* * *

><p>Now they're in his bed and moonlight is the only cover on her skin. She relishes the feeling of it and finds that this game between them is still easy to play. Even when their conversations get strained, heavy with the meaning of words they're not willing to say, it's comforting to know that something is still easy for them.<p>

* * *

><p>His hands on her light a trail of fire against her soft skin. He's littering kisses across her collarbone, the tops of her breasts, her arms. It's sweet, and almost chaste, and again he's surprising her. Rick Castle is a gentle lover. It makes her heart swell and she likes it. She likes the way this feels, maybe too much.<p>

"Rick…" she calls his name breathlessly, and it's almost too much to take. He answers her unspoken request by sliding into her and sighing her name out in return. He's pressed on top of her and she likes the weight of him, her mother's ring still between them.

She never forgets to take it off for this, but in light of all that happened today, it feels right to keep it on and to do be doing something that makes her feel so _alive._

* * *

><p>In the morning, she forgets where she is and hates herself a little when she realizes. She knows Josh is coming back from Africa in less than a week, but she doesn't think that's enough time to scrub the shame of last night off of her.<p>

She's about to get out of his bed, throw on her clothes from last night, and steels herself for the walk of shame when she sees them. There's a crystal vase on his dresser (she didn't even register it last night) and inside is a colorful bouquet of fake flowers. She breaks into the biggest smile she's felt in days. In that moment, she knows what she needs to do.

* * *

><p>She breaks it off with Josh, and suddenly they're both single again. But still, they don't talk about what happens. He's at home today, and she's scrolling through the radio stations of her Crown Vic, trying to find a song that doesn't remind her of him, when she remembers:<p>

* * *

><p><em>"Beckett. How do you know when you're in love?"<em> She was standing in his doorway, and that was really not the reception she was expecting. Before she could even finish a thought, the words were out of her mouth.

_ "All the songs make sense." _It was the honest answer, the right one, and she couldn't help but wonder when the last time she felt that way about someone was.

_Come on, come on, into my arms  
><em>_Come on, come on  
><em>_Give in to me  
>Give in to me... <em>


End file.
